Disclaimer: I don't own 7th Heaven

This is actually the last chapter. I combined 11 and 12 together. I can also post up the epilogue, but that is up to you good people that review my story.

RUTHIE AND MARTIN FOREVER!

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David woke her up, yelling, "Wake up! Wake up! Christmas time!"

Ruthie yawned, "Thanks Dave, We'll be right down,"

"David," he corrected, "If you aren't down in three, we're setting Anna on you," He warned

"Better get up then," Martin mumbled. Ruthie smiled when her mind registered that he wasn't wearing a shirt and the view wasn't bad at all.

Ruthie frowned, "Martin, when did I get changed?"

"I don't know," He shrugged, "You were all tucked in by the time I finished brushing my teeth,"

"You're lying, but you didn't peek did you?" Her face flared up. She hadn't meant to say that.

"No Ruthie," He smiled, "Let's go downstairs,"

Inwardly, she wished that she had worn a sports bra and underwear that wasn't sexy. Well she actually wished the opposite before scolding herself.

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"Robbie, you're first!" Eric said cheerfully, "Pick a gift for someone and then it's that person's turn!"

Robbie grinned, "Here you go, sweetie," And handed Mary a box.

She opened it and Ruthie became silent, crossing her fingers as well as laughing at the look on Robbie's face.

"A fake rat?" Mary held it up, confused. When she squeezed it, it sang the song from Cats.

Robbie paled, "That's weird," He moaned, "Oh no, I must've accidentally switched gifts with that guy in Chicago," He groaned, "I'm sorry Mary,"

"What was it?" Mary asked

"It was a pair of earrings and then I was going to ask you to marry me," He blurted out, "That one was for the guy that was next to me. He said that he was giving it to his friend as a joke,"

Ruthie personally felt that God had willed Mary to get proposed a more romantic way then Robbie was thinking.

"Robbie, you were going to propose?" Mary was shocked

"Yeah, I got a ring and everything," Robbie showed her the ring, "And now it's ruined! I was going to tell you how much I love you and how much I want to grow old with you,"

"Robbie," Mary laughed and kissed him, "Yes, I will marry you,"

Robbie smiled and put the ring on her finger, "Make an honest man of me, Mary,"

Mary laughed and kissed him again, "I love you, sweetie, and this was the best proposal I've ever gotten,"

Ruthie again felt that Ben's-while it had tones of desperation in it-was way more romantic, but she wasn't Mary.

"Good," He smiled, "I planned it that way,"

Ruthie laughed and everyone surrounded Mary, wanting to see the ring.

"Okay, okay!" Mary laughed, grabbing a parcel, "This is for you, Luce, I thought you could use it," She had a slit of a mischievous grin on her face, burrowing into Robbie's chest.

Lucy gasped, only opening it halfway, "Mary!" She said scandalized before the two of them broke out in giggles, "Mary got me edib-special underwear,"

Everyone laughed and Kevin pecked her one the cheek, "Save it, honey, you never know when you might need it," He teased. The two of them looked so rosy and happy together, like they did before the kids and Lucy's duties piled up. It was good that Eric had forced them to work things out. Kevin pulled the present off to the side where the kids wouldn't get into it.

"Gosh, who wants underwear for Christmas?" Susie asked her dad, who just laughed

"Here you go, Savannah, honey," Lucy said, handing her daughter a present

Savannah opened it in record time, "Oh, Susie! We can sing together now!" Savannah held up a child size microphone in a box, complete with stand and batteries.

"Cool!" Susie went to Savannah's side, admiring the present, "Daddy will sing with us right, Daddy?" She looked at Martin, excitedly

Ruthie looked at him too

"Uh, maybe," Martin laughed.

"Savannah, do you have a present for anyone?" Annie asked, "If not, Lucy can just-"

"Oh no, Granny," Savannah said cheerfully, "I have a present for you and Grandpa," She handed them a card, "I made the card all by myself," She looked proud of herself.

"Oh, it's beautiful!" Annie admired the glittery card with scribbles everywhere and Savannah's carefully printed name in block handwriting, "What's this?" She held up two tickets, "Tickets to Jesus Christ Superstar?" Annie raised an eyebrow.

Sam stood up suddenly, "Savannah! That's mine!" He yelled, "What are you doing? Going through my stuff?" He was livid.

"Uncle Sammy," Savannah said, fearful, "The lady gave me two tickets when I gave her Daddy's money,"

"Savannah, I made it very clear that this was between you and me," He frowned, "What are you doing getting them involved?"

"Grandpa told me he wanted to see a play and that he liked Jesus Christ Superstar," Savannah countered.

"Why don't you want us to see it, Sam?" Annie asked, "This is at your school after all,"

"Savannah just bought the stupid tickets because she wanted me to tell you that I'm in the musical," Sam said, upset

A loud clamor rose up.

"Hold on," Eric said shushing everyone else, "Sam, why didn't you tell us?"

"I'm playing Judas," He said simply, "Come if you want, tomorrow's opening night," He ignored his father's question, "Mom, Dad, it's your turn,"

"What? Oh," Annie picked up a present, "For David," She smiled, handing the present to him.

He sneezed, his nose and cheeks redder then usual, "I hay beeding ick," He mumbled and Chandler patted his back. He opened his present, happy to find that he had gotten the rock polisher he had wanted, to tinker with its parts.

"For Marden," He said, pointing at the nearest present he recognized.

Martin opened it up, "Thanks, David, I think," He held up the copy of Relationships for Dummies. The men howled with laughter and the women chuckled appreciatively, patting David's back.

"Sorry," Ruthie whispered, "He didn't know what to get you,"

"Its fine," Martin said smiling. Inwardly he wondered if there was a section on relationships with a good friend that one may be having feelings other then friendship in David's present.

Martin handed Ruthie a gift, smiling and hoping she would like it.

Briefly she remembered that morning where she had told "Paolo" that she liked pearls.

Opening the gift she found a bar of chocolate. Hershey's chocolate to be exact.

"I picked it for you, Ruthie," Susie said cheerfully, "After all, everybody loves chocolate!"

"Yeah," Ruthie laughed, wondering why she felt so empty all of a sudden, "Um, I just have to go outside for a second. It's a little hot in here, wow," She laughed again, departing from the room.

"Here," A warm jacket was placed on her shoulders, "I thought you might be getting cold," Martin confessed

"Thank you," Ruthie noted that the coat was Martin's Red Sox jacket, "Warm," She admitted, putting her hands in the pockets.

Out came a small velvet box from one of the pockets.

"Merry Christmas, Ruthie," He whispered into her ear, making her shiver,

Inside the box was the most beautiful pair of pearl earrings that Ruthie had ever seen,

"Oh Martin," She whispered, "I love it,"

She could see him grinning from the corner of her eye, "Good," He said, turning her around and staring in her eyes,

"Would you mind if just for a second, I could-" He trailed off, looking in her eyes

Ruthie had honestly no idea what he was talking about.

All of a sudden he leaned toward her and it all made sense. Before she could snap out of her daze, she very simply kissed him.

It only lasted seconds, but to them, seemed to go on forever. Ruthie finally figured out just how she felt for Martin and it, well, it scared her.

"Martin no," She said sadly, "We can't do this,"

Kissing him on the cheek, "Know that you've always had a tiny bit of my heart though," She walked away from him, determined not to cry.

Martin on the other hand, sank to the ground in shock. Susie came out looking for him and holding his daughter, he cried. Silent tears that were wiped away furiously as he too admitted that his heart, his entire heart was in the hands of Ruthie Camden and had been so for a long time.

"Susie-Rooster," He said softly, smiling,

"Do you wanna go home, Daddy?" Susie asked, concerned, looking in adoration of Martin.

"Yeah, I would like to," He admitted, unhappy, "Do you want to stay?"

"I wanna be where my daddy is," She said firmly, "I can talk to Savannah on the phone anytime, but I can't hug my daddy all the time,"

Martin smiled, "Why don't you and the other kids finish opening your presents? I'm going to go pack and talk to everyone,"

She nodded and ran off, but not before saying,

"I love you, Daddy,"

"I love you too, baby," Martin spared one last glance at Ruthie who was admiring Mary's ring.

"We're leaving," was the last thing Martin said in her general vicinity. Questions from everyone came out one by one, wanting to know why he was suddenly leaving. Like a pro, he fielded each shot and at the end, everyone was telling him to have a safe flight home.

"Ruthie," Lucy and Mary pounced on her, "Go upstairs and tell Martin that you love him!"

"Why?" Ruthie asked, bewildered

"Stupid," Lucy sighed, "Martin's the love of you life! Can't you see?"

""Let's go, Ruthie, you can't let him get away," Mary urged, "Second chances are rare and third chances even more so,"

"Yeah and this was your second chance at love with Martin," Lucy pointed out

"Ruthie! Ruthie!" Robbie scrambled down the stairs, grinning, "I just talked to Detective Michaels who just talked to Child Services," His eyes were glittering

"Well?" Ruthie's heart was in her throat again, like when she had anticipating the pearls.

He smiled, "Merry Christmas Ruthie,"

"He's-" Ruthie laughed, deliriously happy, "Oh are you sure?"

"Do you want to go see for yourself?" Robbie grinned, handing her coat.

"Yes," She laughed, "Yes!" She hugged Robbie so hard, "I love you, Robbie, oh, and how I love you!" She was crying at this point,

Martin heard Ruthie's last words to Robbie as he headed down the stairs and refused not to feel anything. Mary sighed,

"Martin, Ruthie loves Robbie like she loves a brother,"

"I know," He said hollowly, "She loves me the same way," He sighed, pain reflected in his eyes, "I don't really want to talk about this, so," He smiled, "Merry Christmas you two, and tell everyone we'll miss them," He walked out, intent on finding Susie and going home to Boston, to mourn what he never had.

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Yes, I am sorry to inform you, that this is the end of my little tale. Unless of course, you good people want an epilogue? I kind of like it where it is, but you good people might not. I am sorry for the shortness of it as well, but remember, review to convince this stubborn author to post an epilogue that makes Martin/Ruthie fanatics happy! If not, I'll just post up a list of reviewers and thank them or whatever.